Hopeless batting effort again on display

New Zealand has again completely dismantled Pakistan's top order to claim the first T20 of the series by 7 wickets.

Great teams are often described as sides that are consistent and have valuable match-winners who can change the momentum of the game in moments. But like every team, they all make mistakes. However, what separates a great team from Pakistan in this series is that great teams learn from their mistakes. Pakistan has unfortunately not shown any signs of improvement in their batting and does not even look like wanting to change their series with the approaches that they are taking into every game.

After what was an embarrassing and disheartening 5-0 whitewash in the ODI series, one would have thought that a fresh start to a new series would bring back some dignity to the team. However, what was an exceptionally poor performance from the tourists in the ODI series simply continued into the first T20. It all but looked like a troubled team with no motivation with the bat in hand.

Winning the toss and electing to bowl on what was a pretty poor pitch, New Zealand sent the tourists into bat and to face the bad conditions. But what should have been a sound and calculated batting side, turned out to be a complete circus. Pakistan's first innings was utter madness which included unnecessary over aggression, no planning, undisciplined and senseless.

I believe that Pakistan whilst they had gone in with some intent, they were foolish and insane in execution. Moreover, the team that was selected and the batting order that went along with it only represented the troubled minds behind the dressing room and the panic that they are experiencing. With no Mohammad Hafeez in the side, I felt that the team ultimately lacked another experienced campaigner and was one sane player down.

Pakistan's lack of ability to adapt to the conditions and taking on a senseless and aggressive approach was their ultimate undoing as they were bowled out for a bleak 105 runs. I simply cannot grasp the sense by putting Babar Azam (41) at number 5 where his talent is wasted and his role that he has had so much success with simply taken from him. I am afraid that this chopping and changing of the batting order is going to ruin a player like Babar's career as he is such a valuable member of the team for Pakistan and having uncertainty about his role in the team is going to further send the team into turmoil.

New Zealand in all fairness has Pakistan's throats under their foot. But much like the exciting format that T20 is. It can be anyone's game depending on which team is able to find their spark. I have had no issue with Pakistan's bowling throughout the tour and in fact, I believe that they have done a much better job than the hosts. However, they have forgotten the fundamental principles of batting which is what is hurting them the most in this series.

At one stage New Zealand was sitting very uncomfortable at 2/8 which gave Pakistan just the slightest glimpses of hope, but with some decent batting saw the likes of Colin Munro simply snatch all the momentum that the tourists were gaining away.

I truly hope that Pakistan can come out with a performance that is going to be worth the competition as they have completely failed to compete throughout this series.

The Pakistan team that I would hope would take the field for the second T20 would be much more different than what was in the first T20.

MY PAKISTAN 2ND T20 XI: Fakhr Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Babar Azam, Sarfaraz Ahmed (c) (wk), Haris Sohail, Mohammad Nawaz, Fahim Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Rumman Raees, Ahmed Shehzad (12th man)